As some key players began dropping from the Syracuse University defense this season, an already young unit had to adjust to injuries on the fly.

After the opener against Wake Forest, defensive end Chandler Jones and backup strong safety and special teams regular Olando Fisher were sidelined with lower body injuries. Two weeks later at Southern California, strong safety Shamarko Thomas, the team’s leading tackler and an emotional leader on the field, went out with a hamstring pull.

The injuries gave increased playing time to backups — particularly sophomore Jeremi Wilkes, who started two games in place of Thomas, and senior defensive end Torrey Ball, who made his fifth consecutive start Saturday in place of Jones.

Now that Thomas is back, with Jones to follow Oct. 21 against West Virginia, those players will be relegated to their previous roles as backups and situational players.

It’s a development that head coach Doug Marrone and defensive coordinator Scott Shafer view as positive — beyond the obvious boost of having seasoned players and leaders back on the field — because it yields more experience and depth for the Orange.

“Shamarko’s been an outstanding player ... one of the leaders for us,” Marrone said. “When he comes back and he’s healthy, we understand that there are roles for Jeremi — not to say that Jeremi’s going to stop working to beat Shamarko out.”

Wilkes was a cornerback last season, backing up then-senior Mike Holmes and playing as an extra back in SU’s “Okie” packages. He was moved to free safety, behind junior Phillip Thomas, in the preseason. When SU lost both strong safeties to injury, Wilkes got the call.

“The experience that Jeremi has gotten is invaluable, as far as what that’s going to lead to in making him a better player,” Marrone said. “I think it’s very difficult for people to understand that in practice, yes, you can get better in a lot of things. But there are things that come with playing in a game, that really accelerate your growth.”

By all accounts, Wilkes filled in admirably for Thomas.

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“Jeremi Wilkes stepped up when he was in for Shamarko,” said senior cornerback Kevyn Scott. “He just did a good job. He was ready to go.”

Wilkes made four tackles in SU’s first two games against Wake Forest and Rhode Island. Those numbers rose to seven, five and nine against Southern California, Toledo and Rutgers, respectively.

Ball, who has 27 total tackles in two dozen appearances over the past two seasons, already has 17 this season — 13 of those in the five starts since Jones went out. Ball also has 1½ sacks, one pass breakup, one quarterback hit and a recovered fumble.

“He’s done a nice job in there, and he’s been very consistent for us,” Marrone said.

Even more effusive was Jones, who sometimes teams with Ball as rush ends in passing situations.

“He did a great job,” Jones said. “He’s doing good on his pass rush, and he’s always been a great tackler. He just showed great effort.”

Ball has gotten help from second-year freshman Micah Robinson and junior Brandon Sharpe, who backs up Mikhail Marinovich at the other end.

“So at the end of the day, when Chandler comes back, we should have a better sense of depth at that position with more experience,” Marrone said.

Linebacker Dan Vaughan, a fourth-year junior who played special teams and was a backup for two seasons before stepping into a starting role this year, said all of the replacements on defense — and there have been many — have contributed.

“We’re excited to have those guys back. They’re a big part of our group,” he said.

“But while they were gone, we were kind of, ‘Next guy in,’”

“It’s always nice to have numbers,” Vaughan said. “We’re playing a lot of people on defense this year — I’d say it’s in the mid-20s, at least. It’s good to have depth.”